Opah – Hawaii

Opah is a pelagic species of fish (swims near the surface) found throughout all tropical and temperate oceans. It can grow to six and a half feet in length, approximately 550 pounds in weight, and may live for 11 years.

Opah in the Pacific Ocean is probably at a medium level of abundance, however no formal population assessment has been done.

Opah is typically caught as bycatch in pelagic longline fisheries targeting tuna and swordfish. Pelagic longlines have minimal impact on bottom habitat but can accidentally capture high numbers of vulnerable species, such as sea birds, sea turtles, and sharks. In the U.S. Hawaii fishery, measures are in place to reduce bycatch of these vulnerable species.

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Fish Key:

Species has a combination of problems such as overfishing, high bycatch, and poor management.

Some problems exist with this species' status or catch methods, or information is insufficient for evaluating.

Species is relatively abundant, and fishing methods cause little damage to habitat and other wildlife.

A fishery targeting this species has been certified as sustainable and well managed to the Marine Stewardship Council's environmental standard. Learn more at http://www.msc.org.

These fish contain levels of mercury or PCBs that may pose a health risk to adults and children. Our source of information is http://seafood.edf.org/. We also recommend that you check local advisories.